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B26-0128 • 2025

Safety Cluster Resource Alignment and Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Safety Cluster Resource Alignment and Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Pinto
Last action
2025-02-18
Official status
Under Council Review
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's status is currently 'Under Council Review,' meaning it has not yet become law or taken effect.

Safety Cluster Resource Alignment and Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

This bill allows the D.C. Clemency Board to waive a waiting period for pardon requests if federal officials approve it, while delaying another law until October 1, 2027.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows the Clemency Board to grant a waiver of the standard 5-year waiting period for people seeking a pardon in certain cases.
  • Requires that the Office of the Pardon Attorney or the President must first provide a federal waiver before the local board can consider one.
  • Stops the board from granting waivers to applicants who are currently on probation, parole, or supervised release.
  • Lets the Clemency Board ask for more information or meet with an applicant before deciding on their request.
  • Updates the start date of a rule in the Second Chance Amendment Act of 2022 from March 1, 2025 to October 1, 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People applying for a pardon through the D.C. Clemency Board.
  • The Office of the Pardon Attorney and the President regarding federal waiver notices.
  • Agencies managing probation, parole, or supervised release programs.

Terms To Know

Clemency Board
A group in D.C. that reviews requests for pardons and other relief from criminal penalties.
Waiver
An official permission to ignore a rule, such as the 5-year waiting period before applying for a pardon.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill only stays in effect for up to 90 days after it becomes law because it is an emergency act.
  • The Clemency Board can still say no to a waiver request even if the federal government has approved one.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-18 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  2. 2025-02-18 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  3. 2025-02-14 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0128 Introduced by Councilmember Pinto at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Safety Cluster Resource Alignment and Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
________________________
Councilmember Brooke Pinto

A BILL

_________________________

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

_________________________

To amend, on an emergency basis, the Clemency Board Establishment Act of 2018 to authorize 1
the Clemency Board to, for applicants seeking a pardon, grant a waiver of the 5-year 2
waiting period in certain circumstances, and to amend the Second Chance Amendment 3
Act of 2022 to update the applicability date to October 1, 2027. 4
5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 6
act may be cited as the “Safety Cluster Resource Alignment and Clarification Emergency 7
Amendment Act of 2025”. 8
Sec. 2. Section 205 of the Clemency Board Establishment Act of 2018, effective 9
December 13, 2018 (D.C. Law 22-197; D.C. Official Code § 24-481.05), is amended by adding a 10
new subsection (f) to read as follows: 11
“(f) The Board may, upon written request of the applicant, grant a waiver of the 12
requirements of subsection (c)(1) of this section; provided, that: 13
“(1) The Board shall only grant a waiver under this subsection where the Board is 14
in receipt of notice from the Office of the Pardon Attorney that the Pardon Attorney or the 15
President of the United States has provided the applicant with a waiver of the 5-year requirement 16
pursuant to § 9-140.112 of the Department of Justice’s Justice Manual; 17
“(2) The Board may decline to grant a waiver under this subsection even when the 18
Board is in receipt of the notice described in paragraph (1) of this subsection; 19
“(3) The Board shall not grant a waiver under this subsection when the applicant 20
is on probation, parole, or supervised release; 21
“(4) The Board may request additional information from the applicant to support 22
their request for a waiver of subsection (c)(1) of this section, which may include a request to 23
meet with the applicant to discuss their waiver request; 24
“(5) The Board shall provide the applicant with written notice of the Board’s 25
decision to grant or deny a waiver request pursuant to this subsection; and 26
“(6) Prior to the Board making a determination whether to grant a request for a 27
waiver pursuant to this subsection, the applicant’s application for a clemency recommendation 28
shall be deferred until a determination is made.”. 29
Sec. 3. Section 301 of the Second Chance Amendment Act of 2022, effective March 10, 30
2023 (D.C. Law 24-284; 70 DCR 913), is amended by striking the phrase “March 1, 2025” and 31
inserting the phrase “October 1, 2027” in its place. 32
Sec. 4. Fiscal impact statement. 33
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of the Budget Director as the fiscal impact 34
statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved 35
October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 36
Sec. 5. Effective date. 37
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 38
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), and shall remain in effect for no longer than 39
90 days, as provided for emergency acts of the Council of the District of Columbia in section 40
412(a) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 788; 41
D.C. Official Code § 1-204.12(a)). 42